Hulk brace gives Brazil 3-1 win over Denmark

Hulk scored in the eighth and 40th minutes, either side of an own goal by Niki Zimling.

Hamburg, Germany: Hulk scored two goals in the first half to help Brazil beat Denmark 3-1 on Saturday at the start of a four-match tour ahead of the London Olympics.

Hulk scored in the eighth and 40th minutes, either side of an own goal by Niki Zimling, as a young but polished Brazil side brushed off a team headed to next month's European Championship in Poland and Ukraine.

Nicklas Bendtner salvaged some pride for Denmark in the 71st minute.

Brazil are warming up for the Olympics, the only significant tournament they have never won. Brazil are also the hosts of the next World Cup in 2014.

Brazil next play the United States on May 30, Mexico on June 3 and Argentina on June 9. The matches will be played in the US.

Denmark have a tough job ahead at the Euros, playing in the same group as Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Hulk fired a left-foot shot from some 25 yards that dipped low and struck the ground before getting through underneath the body of Denmark goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.

Five minutes later, Brazil doubled the score. Christian Poulsen lost the ball near his penalty area, Oscar carried it and centered in the middle, and Niki Zimling's clumsy attempt to clear bounced into his own net, finding Sorensen on the wrong foot.

Christian Eriksen's free kick in the 27th was the first serious test for Jefferson in Brazil's goal but the goalkeeper smothered the ball.

Simon Poulsen and Eriksen had two attempts in quick succession as Denmark stepped up the pace and began to threaten more.

With the Brazilian defence beginning to buckle, Michael Krohn-Dehli missed an empty net after Jefferson had mistimed his attempt to punch away a cross.

But Brazil weathered the storm and Hulk put his team in control again in the 40th. Oscar won the ball from Daniel Agger and released Hulk, who rounded Simon Kjaer and shot past Denmark's substitute goalkeeper Stephan Andrersen, who had replaced the injured Sorensen in the 25th.

Simon Poulsen tested Jefferson again in the last minute of the first half but the 'keeper palmed the shot away.

Agger managed to shoot wide from two yards out at the start of the second half.

Sandro made a timely clearance in the 60th to deny Bendtner.

But the Sunderland striker found the target 11 minutes later, after Zimling had toyed with Brazil's defence on the left wing and sent a perfect low cross for Bendtner to tap in from close range.